Learning & Development Manager - Product & Process

Ventura Foods is a company that innovates and manufactures food solutions for foodservice and retail businesses. They are seeking a Learning and Development Manager who will be responsible for executing the Operations HR Long Range Plan and partnering with facilities to enhance skills in product and process knowledge through effective training programs.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with R&D and Engineering to ensure that content is available to teach product and process knowledge to prepare plant teams to understand the products that they produce. As part of onboarding, job skills training and ongoing development, ensure that teams understand product chemistry, ingredient functionality, and process steps required to produce our products with consistency and within specification. Incorporate process and product knowledge into job skills training identified through skills gaps resulting from quality and financial data indicating process problems
• Identify training delivery methods and modalities to support initial skill gap closure and then incorporate into onboarding where applicable so that every new employee understands products that they are making, ingredient roles and formulations, and the criticality of the order of addition and process steps
• Responsible for the design, development and production or training materials, documents and training content at each site to ensure consistency, quality of content and delivery methods meet and support the overall L&D plan for Product and Process knowledge and Functional Excellence platforms
• Develop program to incorporate Certified Trainer Program to build SME level roles at each facility to ensure that every person producing our products are qualified to produce products and that each plant has the capability to deliver training without external support
• Ensure that data points are available to indicate the effectiveness of the training built/delivered and work with others to identify ROI on an ongoing basis
• Support a continuous improvement culture by partnering with operations leaders to identify Continuous Improvement activities
• Approximately 25% travel required, with more frequent travel in the first year to support projects
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

• 5+ years of relevant work and of increasing responsibility
• Experience in a food manufacturing environment is required
• Ability to present ideas, coach and deliver messages related to performance in individual and/or group settings
• Experience working with and delivering training/information to peers, hourly teams and management
• Must be able to take complex material and processes and translate that material to an understandable learning method
• Organization, self motivation and capability to work in a rapidly changing environment with the ability to effectively interact with and influence all levels of the organization
• Strong interpersonal, coaching, collaboration and negotiation skill
• Exceptional written, oral and interpersonal communication skills at all levels of the organization and with individuals and group settings required
• Ability to be a trusted advisor and consultative business partner to all functions within the facility
• Self driven and committed to providing the highest level of service while remaining aligned with the overall goals of the L&D organization
• Demonstrated expertise in utilization of learning systems and capable to design, develop and implement learning programs and strategies
• Sound knowledge of learning metrics, performance tracking, data integrity and process improvement methodologies
• Knowledge of adult learning processes, instructional design techniques and evaluation methodologies
• Effective presentation and persuasion skills are necessary as this role requires the ability to influence without authority
• Supervisory and leadership skills development for frontline supervision, to aid in career development and succession planning
• Bachelor's degree preferred in training, education, psychology, business management or related field
• Prefer experience with alternative training methods to help enhance the learner experience and provide a 'safe to fail' learning experience
• Experience with content design software (Articulate or similar programs)